What's the smartest way to get a master's degree?
Have someone else pay for it.
This may sound like a too-good-to-be-true scenario, but we assure you, it's not! Here are three ways to nab a grad degree without paying for your own tuition.
Fellowships may provide an opportunity to earn free tuition in a specific field. Sometimes the fellowship may require you to work in a certain location or field for a limited time after graduation, but not always.
Don't forget that scholarships are also available to graduate students - visit out FREE Scholarship database. Scholarships related to medical conditions or disciplines are often overlooked. Use the niche and details to your advantage.
Many higher education institutions offer tuition remission for employees.
There are usually three caveats if you take advantage of this perk. They are:
Many companies offer tuition reimbursement or professional development funds to boost employee skills.
| Company | Limit | Grad? | Notes |
| Deloitte | Full | Yes | High-performers |
| Amazon | $5,250 | Yes | Accepts Online Degrees |
| $12,000 | Partial | Tied to Career fit | |
| Walmart | $5,250 | Yes | |
| Starbucks | Unlimited | Yes | Eligible Partners |
| AT&T | $25,000 | Yes | Aspire Job Shadow |
This comprehensive, free curriculum mirrors the core components of a traditional MBA, updated with 2025-relevant topics like AI, data analytics, and sustainable business practices. Each course is offered by top universities or platforms, ensuring quality and credibility. While these don’t grant a formal degree, they deliver practical skills to rival an MBA—at zero cost.
Why It Matters: Get a big-picture view of how businesses operate, from strategy to operations.
Course: Introduction to Business Analysis
Provider: University of British Columbia (Coursera)
What You’ll Learn: Business structures, decision-making frameworks, and stakeholder management.
Time Commitment: ~12 hours
Why It Matters: Master reading and creating financial statements to make informed business decisions.
Course: Introduction to Financial Accounting
Provider: University of Pennsylvania (Coursera)
What You’ll Learn: Balance sheets, income statements, cash flow analysis, and financial reporting.
Time Commitment: ~15 hours
Why It Matters: Learn to use accounting data for internal planning, budgeting, and performance evaluation.
Course: Managerial Accounting: Cost Behaviors, Systems, and Analysis
Provider: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Coursera)
What You’ll Learn: Cost analysis, budgeting techniques, and decision-making tools.
Time Commitment: ~18 hours
Why It Matters: Understand market dynamics and economic principles to drive strategic decisions.
Course: Microeconomics: The Power of Markets
Provider: University of Pennsylvania (Coursera)
What You’ll Learn: Supply and demand, market structures, and pricing strategies.
Time Commitment: ~10 hours
Why It Matters: Gain skills to manage budgets, investments, and financial risks.
Course: Finance for Non-Finance Professionals
Provider: Rice University (Coursera)
What You’ll Learn: Time value of money, risk assessment, and capital budgeting.
Time Commitment: ~12 hours
Why It Matters: Learn to craft strategies that connect with customers in a digital-first world.
Course: Digital Marketing
Provider: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Coursera)
What You’ll Learn: SEO, social media marketing, customer segmentation, and analytics.
Time Commitment: ~20 hours
Why It Matters: Optimize processes to boost efficiency and scalability.
Course: Operations Management: Strategy and Quality Management for the Digital Age
Provider: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Coursera)
What You’ll Learn: Supply chain management, process optimization, and quality control.
Time Commitment: ~15 hours
Why It Matters: Develop skills to set long-term goals and outmaneuver competitors.
Course: Strategic Management and Innovation
Provider: Copenhagen Business School (Coursera)
What You’ll Learn: Competitive analysis, strategic planning, and innovation frameworks.
Time Commitment: ~22 hours
Why It Matters: Understand team dynamics and leadership to inspire high performance.
Course: Organizational Behavior: How to Manage People
Provider: IE Business School (Coursera)
What You’ll Learn: Motivation, team dynamics, and emotional intelligence.
Time Commitment: ~10 hours
Why It Matters: Leverage data to make smarter, evidence-based decisions.
Course: Business Analytics for Decision Making
Provider: University of Colorado Boulder (Coursera)
What You’ll Learn: Data visualization, predictive analytics, and decision models.
Time Commitment: ~14 hours
Why It Matters: Build skills to launch or grow a business, from idea to execution.
Course: Entrepreneurship: Launching an Innovative Business
Provider: University of Maryland (Coursera)
What You’ll Learn: Ideation, pitching, funding, and scaling startups.
Time Commitment: ~20 hours
Why It Matters: Navigate international markets and global economic trends.
Course: Global Business Strategy
Provider: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Coursera)
What You’ll Learn: Globalization, trade policies, and cross-cultural strategies.
Time Commitment: ~12 hours
Why It Matters: Lead with integrity and align with modern ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) priorities.
Course: Sustainable Business: Managing for Profit and Impact
Provider: University of Cambridge (FutureLearn)
What You’ll Learn: Ethical decision-making, sustainability frameworks, and CSR strategies.
Time Commitment: ~12 hours
Why It Matters: Master negotiation to close deals and resolve disputes effectively.
Course: Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills
Provider: University of Michigan (Coursera)
What You’ll Learn: Negotiation tactics, conflict resolution, and deal-making skills.
Time Commitment: ~17 hours
Why It Matters: Stay ahead with cutting-edge tech shaping modern business.
Course: AI for Business Leaders
Provider: Babson College (edX)
What You’ll Learn: AI applications, digital transformation strategies, and ethical AI use.
Time Commitment: ~10 hours
Why It Matters: Inspire teams and drive results with adaptive leadership.
Course: Leadership in the Digital Age
Provider: Indian School of Business (Coursera)
What You’ll Learn: Emotional intelligence, adaptive leadership, and team management.
Time Commitment: ~15 hours
This curriculum covers the pillars of a traditional MBA—finance, marketing, strategy, and leadership—while adding modern skills like AI, digital marketing, and sustainability. Each course is:
*These courses provide MBA-level knowledge but don’t confer a formal degree.